Power generation from moving water

Abstract

The application pertains to a process for subsea power generation and fluid utilization from open water currents. In one embodiment the process comprises channeling water from a subsea current through a pipe system constructed to withstand subsea pressures; creating a water hammered pressurized fluid within the pipe system; directing the water hammered pressurized fluid through a delivery valve; and using the water hammered pressurized fluid.

1 . A process for subsea power generation and fluid utilization from open water currents, comprising:
 channeling water from a subsea current through a pipe system constructed to withstand subsea pressures;   creating a water hammered pressurized fluid within the pipe system;   directing the water hammered pressurized fluid through a delivery valve; and   using the water hammered pressurized fluid.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the using comprises one or more of: power generation, fluid transport, desalination, pressure exchange, fluid pressurization, energy storage, and downstream processing. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the water hammered pressurized fluid is created by cyclically closing a valve within the pipe system. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  which further comprises:
 transporting the pressurized fluid to a higher elevation reservoir, a surface platform, or a land-based facility; or 
 integrating the pressurized fluid with an infrastructure selected from the group consisting of offshore wind turbine towers, offshore platforms, bridges, oil rigs, subsea processing or fluid handling facilities, floating production storage and offloading vessels, coastal facilities for energy or fluid applications, or any combination thereof. 
 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1  which further comprises concentrating the subsea current at an intake of the pipe system. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1  which further comprises diffusing flow. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the using comprises driving a hydroelectric turbine for generating electricity. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the using comprises pressure exchanging to transfer hydraulic power to a secondary fluid for downstream applications. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the using comprises transporting water or other fluids through subsea pipelines. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  which further comprises storing the pressurized fluid in a subsea hydraulic pressure storage device. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 10  wherein said device comprises pressure vessels configured to hold pressurized fluid. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 10  wherein said device comprises a subsea fluid displacement energy storage device. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the using comprises transferring pressurized fluid to a higher elevation reservoir located on an offshore platform, wind turbine tower, or floating vessel, or bridge, or oil rigs, or FPSOs, or coastal facilities, onshore structure, or offshore structure, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13  which further comprises discharging the transferred pressurized fluid to a hydroelectric turbine located at a lower elevation to convert potential energy into power. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 3  which further comprises monitoring pressure, flow rate, and valve performance and transmitting data to a surface platform or control station. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1  which further comprises deploying a second pipe system in parallel to aggregate pressurized fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1  which comprises channeling water from a subsea current of below 50 meters. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1  which further comprises anchoring at least a portion of the pipe system with a structural anchoring mechanism selected from the group consisting of suction anchors, gravity-based foundations, pile-driven supports, or hydrodynamically shaped bases. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the using comprises driving a turbocharger pressure exchanger to transfer pressure or power to a secondary fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the using comprises powering subsea hydraulic actuators, machinery, or both. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 1  which further comprises employing anti-fouling coatings, biofouling-resistant materials, or both. 
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 1  which further comprises employing one or more sediment flushing channels. 
     
     
         23 . A subsea hydraulic energy system for generating pressurized fluid from open water currents and enabling downstream applications, comprising:
 a pump chamber adapted for operation in subsea environments, wherein the pump chamber creates a water hammer effect;   a self-actuating waste valve within the pump chamber to cyclically release fluid and create the water hammer effect while withstanding subsea conditions;   a delivery valve operatively connected to the pump chamber to direct the pressurized fluid to an output system;   an output system operatively connected to the delivery valve to:   (1) transport the pressurized fluid to a higher elevation reservoir, a surface platform, or a land-based facility; or   (2) use the pressurized fluid for at least one of: power generation, fluid transport, fluid pressurization, pressure exchange, desalination, or energy storage.   
     
     
         24 . A system for subsea power generation, comprising:
 a subsea pump chamber to transform flow velocity to fluid pressure using a water hammer effect generated by cyclic fluid flow interruption;   a waste valve operatively connected to the pump chamber to release fluid cyclically to create the water hammer effect under subsea ambient pressure conditions;   a delivery valve operatively connected to the pump chamber to direct a pressurized fluid to an output conduit;   an output conduit to transport a pressurized fluid to at least one destination selected from the group consisting of: a higher elevation reservoir, or a surface platform, or a land-based facility, and a subsea pipeline;   wherein the system is designed for integration with an infrastructure selected from the group consisting of offshore energy platforms, floating vessels, subsea power generation systems, or hybrid renewable energy installations; and   wherein the system uses pressurized fluid for at least one of: energy generation, fluid transfer, hydraulic power for subsea operations, desalination, pressure exchange, or energy storage.   
     
     
         25 . A system for subsea power generation, comprising:
 a pump chamber configured to receive a moving fluid from an open water source and amplify its pressure through a water hammer effect generated by cyclic flow interruption;   a waste valve operatively connected to the pump chamber, configured to self-actuate in response to fluid dynamics and generate the water hammer effect under high-pressure subsea conditions;   a delivery valve operatively connected to the pump chamber, configured to direct the amplified pressure fluid into an output conduit;   an output conduit configured to:
 transport the pressurized fluid to at least one destination selected from the group consisting of: a subsea turbine, a higher elevation reservoir, a pressure exchanger, or a surface or land-based energy system; or 
 supply the pressurized fluid for at least one application selected from the group consisting of: energy generation, subsea fluid transport, desalination, or energy recovery; 
   wherein the system is integrated with a flow concentrator positioned upstream of the pump chamber, configured to increase the velocity of incoming fluid and enhance the efficiency of pressure amplification; and   wherein the system is configured for deployment with subsea infrastructure selected from the group consisting of: offshore wind turbine foundations, floating vessels, subsea power grids, or modular subsea energy hubs.   
     
     
         26 . A method for transforming fluid velocity into power in a subsea environment, comprising:
 capturing fluid from a subsea current using an intake system configured to channel fluid into a pump chamber;   amplifying the velocity pressure of the captured fluid within the pump chamber by cyclically actuating a valve to create a water hammer effect;   releasing the amplified pressure fluid through a delivery valve operatively connected to the pump chamber;   transporting the released amplified pressurized fluid via an output conduit to at least one downstream application selected from the group consisting of: a subsea turbine for energy generation, or a higher elevation reservoir for energy storage, or a surface or land-based facility for storage or downstream processing, or a subsea pressure exchanger for hydraulic energy transfer; and   utilizing the transported released amplified pressurized fluid for at least one application selected from the group consisting of: power generation, or subsea fluid transport, or reverse osmosis desalination, or pressure amplification for industrial processes, or energy recovery.